Game Re-Cap: TCU 30 Oregon State 21

This was the game I was most looking forward to on Saturday night. I had TCU ranked at #11 and Oregon State at #17 in my pre-season poll. 

First Quarter

Oregon State won the toss and elected to receive. Sophomore QB Ryan Katz was sacked on the second play of the game and fumbled but OSU luckily recovered. OSU went three and out on their first drive on 3 pass attempts. TCU got the ball and made a first down but then Andy Dalton threw it right to OSU’s Lance Mitchell. Mitchell made the interception and returned it into TCU territory. Two plays later Katz hit a wide open James Rodgers in the end zone.

Oregon State 7 TCU 0

TCU’s best play in the early going was Andy Dalton scrambling. Dalton hit a nice 51 yard pass to Skye Dawson to set up TCU in the red zone. TCU put together a 9-play drive culminating in a TD run by Andy Dalton.
 
Oregon State 7 TCU 7

Oregon State broke out their Wild Beaver set on their next drive (insert your joke here). Oregon State missed a 47 yard FG wide left. OSU’s Stephen Paea came up with a big sack of Dalton on 3rd and 9 to end the quarter.

Second Quarter

Oregon State faked a punt and got 22 yards and a first down. Apparently their punter was a QB in High School. On the very next play Katz connected with Jordan Bishop for a 34 yard TD pass. It’s amazing how quickly momentum can change in College Football.

Oregon State 14 TCU 7

TCU put together a strong drive that culminated in a short 1 yard TD pass by Dalton on a play-action roll-out.

Oregon State 14 TCU 14

The teams traded the ball back and forth. OSU hit a really low punt and TCU’s Kerley took it back to the OSU 23 with 2 and a half minutes to go in the half.  Ed Wesley finished off the short field with an 8 yard TD run to give TCU the lead for the first time in the game.

TCU 21 Oregon State 14

Third Quarter

TCU took the ball all the way down the field and looked like they were going to take full control of the game but OSU came up with an interception in the red zone. OSU drove the ball down the field behind the Rodgers’ brothers and tied it up on a Jacquizz run. Jacquizz really came alive in that last drive. 

Oregon State 21 TCU 21

TCU responded to OSU’s scoring drive by moving down the field systematically. Andy Dalton took it in for a TD on a QB keeper out of the Pistol formation.

TCU 28 Oregon State 21

Fourth Quarter

Andy Dalton converted a big 3^rd and 7 with a QB sneak with 7 minutes left in the game. Oregon State stopped TCU on the next 3^rd down conversion and they got the ball back with 4 minutes left in the game. On OSU’s first play of the drive the center snapped the ball over Katz’s head and Katz kicked the ball through the end zone for a safety.

TCU 30 Oregon State 21

After getting the ball back after the safety TCU ran out the clock by staying on the ground and won the game.

Final Score: TCU 30 Oregon State 21

Big win by TCU as this is one of the two toughest games on their schedule. TCU has one of the easiest remaining schedules in the nation with only Utah and BYU left as legitimate tests. TCU's experience really showed down the stretch and the huge botched snap by Oregon State was too much for them to overcome.

Player of the Game

Andy Dalton, QB, TCU

17 for 27 for 175 yds, 1 TD, 2 INT
15 rushes for 64 yds, 2 TD

Star Watch
Ed Wesley, RB, TCU
17 carries for 134 yds, 1 TD


Jacquizz Rodgers, RB, OSU
18 carries for 75 yds, 1 TD


James Rodgers, WR, OSU
4 rec for 74 yds, 1 TD